Lance Easley recounts pressure and decision-making on “Fail Mary”

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 9, 2013, 1:32 AM EDT

AP

Nearly 10 months removed from the call that brought him into the national spotlight while serving as a replacement official for a Monday night game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Lance Easley was back in the Seattle area on Sunday as he served as an umpire for Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s celebrity softball game.

Easley infamously called a touchdown 0n a last-second Hail Mary from Russell Wilson to Golden Tate to hand the Seahawks a 14-12 win over the Packers when it appeared as though Packers defensive back M.D. Jennings had intercepted the ball.

Easley posed for pictures with Tate and made a few questionable calls on the base paths that led to arguments from both teams at Sherman’s softball game Sunday. Wilson stormed out to first base to confront Easley after a close play at first and subsequently picked up first base and took it with him (following in the footsteps of former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon).

It was a light-hearted moment for the ref who is praised in Seattle and loathed in Green Bay for his call to end the Monday night game. The “Fail Mary” is one of the lasting images from last season and served as the final straw to bring a resolution between the league and the referee’s union putting an end to the replacement officials. Despite being thrust into the limelight, Easley remains steadfast that his call was the right one and says he wouldn’t change anything about the game or the ensuing fallout.

“I wouldn’t change anything,” Easley said. “I can’t. The NFL upheld it. I’ve looked at plenty of video. I’ve talked to my replay guys, and there was nothing that could turn it over.

“It was just one of those calls that will live in NFL history.”

Easley said the scrutiny of the replacement officials in the media was something they were aware of and that it affected his decision-making process on the play.

“If I regret anything I probably would have talked it over a little bit with my partner,” Easley said. “I thought he saw the same thing but because of the media and the way they were getting after us every week and the pressure, I thought to myself ‘OK, I know what I have. If we talk about it the media is going to crucify us like look at those idiots, they don’t know what they’re doing.'”

“When they both went up and started to come down I said ‘oh no, this is happening in front of 18 million people on TV on Monday night. Everybody’s watching this,'” Easley said.

Easley still believes he made the correct call. He probably didn’t. However, one thing Easley said is correct. The play was incredibly rare. Two players coming down simultaneously with a pass in the end zone on the last play of a game is an incredibly unique play for any referee to handle.

“I knew how bizarre the play was. I’d never seen it. I was confirmed by that by calling the NFL office the next morning and saying ‘have you seen this play before? No.’ Everybody, head coaches – I have not met anybody that’s said ‘oh yeah, I saw that play the other day’ or ‘I saw it in 1965, Bears vs. Vikings.’ Nobody has seen it. It’s not on TV, not on film, otherwise you would see it. Players, coaches, all of us fans, we know it’s never happened before so I just happened to be stuck in the middle of it,” Easley said.

“It probably will never happen again, just like the Immaculate Reception.”

Good call Lance, Seattle will always be a place of refuge for you. We know it was a good call because we drink expensive coffee and are generally smarter than the rest of the country. But seriously tho, simultaneous possession goes to the offensive player. Not that hard of a call to get right people.

“I thought to myself ‘OK, I know what I have. If we talk about it the media is going to crucify us like look at those idiots, they don’t know what they’re doing.’”

Let me get this straight…taking an extra moment to speak with your fellow referees for the sake of getting the call correct didn’t make any sense to you? How you would be perceived by the media was more important than taking your time to carefully make the proper call ON THE FINAL PLAY OF THE GAME!? How did this rocket scientist ever become a replacement referee in the NFL??? I wouldn’t let this idiot ref a peewee game, and now he gets to proudly go down in history for his stupidity. Congratulations.

wonder how the NFL feels about this? He’s getting awfully chummy with the Seahawks….

gibbstastic says:Jul 9, 2013 2:38 AM

My personal reason for accepting (maybe not agreeing) this ruling on the field is that it was in the endzone. On offense, the receiver must maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process, which would mean a defender would have to do the same. Once on the ground and through the entirety of the catch, it could be said that they both possessed the ball.

But that’s just my understanding of why it COULD be called a touchdown. Either way, we would have had quite the controversy on our hands.

Let Packer players/fans tears continue to fall until the end of time over this one call. Yet every year there are at least 5-10 games where the outcome of a game is determined by a subjective call.

floratiotime says:Jul 9, 2013 4:55 AM

It’s really not the astoundingly bad call that upset everyone. It was the gleeful, unapologetic way the Seahawks acted afterwards. They knew they were the beneficiaries of a horrible injustice. But they lapped it up without a trace of class. And are still doing it.

It’s so annoying when people can’t/won’t admit mistakes, which this clearly was. I mean, if you think you made the correct call then why do you regret anything? I don’t have a horse in this race, just neutral observer.

I agree with the ref here- this was not as clear cut as a call as people would like you to believe. It was an incredibly difficult call and I’ve seen regular refs miss way easier calls over the years (even upon replay). Granted, they usually weren’t the final play of the game, but they have plenty of blown calls of their own.

jrmbadger says:Jul 9, 2013 8:00 AM

He blew the call. Period. End of Story. Can we just move on and stop talking about this guy and that play and let his 15 minutes of fame expire?

Lance Easley should never be allowed I call any game ever if he still thinks he made the correct call. The entire world outside the state of Washington knows you blew that call.

dgtalmn says:Jul 9, 2013 8:44 AM

Denial

gtodriver says:Jul 9, 2013 8:46 AM

Easley made the correct call.

Some people have chosen to call the play a “Fail Mary”, but when all is said and done, the failure was the GB defensive back that attempted to intercept the ball instead of knocking the ball to the ground.

The media scrutinized the replacement officials too much, and were looking for any excuse to try and get the regulars back.

The regulars came back and made many calls that were actually wrong – unlike this call that the media claimed was wrong – but was right.

Wow…those who said that was the right call have me scratching my head.

Before I get blasted for apparently “whining”, let me say I am over it. My biggest fear at the time would be missing the playoffs…sure in the end, we missed out on home field and a bye, but it gave us the chance to whoop the Vikings…and in the end, the 49ers were a better team. Now about the “catch”

1. Awful push off…Shields got tossed to the ground…that put Tate in position to make the “catch”

2. “The Catch” … at what point does he possess the ball? He has 1 hand sorta in there…but nowhere is that possessing the ball, regardless of how some want to intrepret the rule. How many times do we see catches/interceptions in end zone where defender or receiver has hand on ball…and there is no argument there?

It was a terrible call. End of story.

roadbiscuit says:Jul 9, 2013 9:17 AM

This clown couldn’t manage to get qualified for anything beyond D3. He’s promoting his book. Why help him.

stellarperformance says:Jul 9, 2013 9:23 AM

Rick Spielman is a Magician says:
Jul 9, 2013 8:59 AM
I thought it was the right call.

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I’m shocked! Comprehending the rules doesn’t do it for you? Who’d have known.

harrisonhits2 says:Jul 9, 2013 9:28 AM

Lol Seattle fans you’re going to hear about this for years to come. The Packer fans will whining about this for decades just like Raiders fans whine about the tuck rule.

commonsensedude says:Jul 9, 2013 9:41 AM

This guy actually should be credited with one of the all-time greatest accomplishments in sports history. His incompetent and inexplicable call actually caused ESPN commentators to criticize the NFL and the commissioner on-air. And they said it couldn’t be done!

gtodriver says:Jul 9, 2013 9:41 AM

lbpackfan says: Jul 9, 2013 9:16 AM

Wow…those who said that was the right call have me scratching my head.

Before I get blasted for apparently “whining”, let me say I am over it. My biggest fear at the time would be missing the playoffs…sure in the end, we missed out on home field and a bye, but it gave us the chance to whoop the Vikings…and in the end, the 49ers were a better team. Now about the “catch”

1. Awful push off…Shields got tossed to the ground…that put Tate in position to make the “catch”

2. “The Catch” … at what point does he possess the ball? He has 1 hand sorta in there…but nowhere is that possessing the ball, regardless of how some want to intrepret the rule. How many times do we see catches/interceptions in end zone where defender or receiver has hand on ball…and there is no argument there?
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If you were over it, you wouldn’t be “whining” about it here.

1. The “push off” wasn’t part of the call. If you watch NFL football, you know that on a “Hail Mary” play that push offs aren’t called.

2. One handed catches happen all the time in the NFL. There is no requirement for two hands to have possession. There is a requirement to have 2 feet down to have possession, and the Seattle WR did that first.

You can’t be credited for having possession of the ball in the air, you have to get your feet down.

It was absolutely the wrong call and it’s ridiculous to say otherwise. And I’m not a GB fan.

cmstrick says:Jul 9, 2013 10:10 AM

After the play, Easley was clearly unsure. He was watching the other official, not the players on the ground. When the other official started to raise his hands (to wave them), Easley finally raised his hands and made the (clearly incorrect) TD call.

Oh football gods why couldn’t Lance Easley have been the ref for Super Bowl XL?

jrmbadger says:Jul 9, 2013 10:16 AM

gtodriver says:

If you were over it, you wouldn’t be “whining” about it here.

1. The “push off” wasn’t part of the call. If you watch NFL football, you know that on a “Hail Mary” play that push offs aren’t called.

2. One handed catches happen all the time in the NFL. There is no requirement for two hands to have possession. There is a requirement to have 2 feet down to have possession, and the Seattle WR did that first.

You can’t be credited for having possession of the ball in the air, you have to get your feet down.

Your D back tried to be a hero, and became a zero.

Admit he screwed up and then you will be “over it”.
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If you’re going to criticize others for supposedly knowing the rules, you should think carefully about the distinction between what is required for possession of the ball and what is required for a catch. They are different and distinct. There is no requirement for “two feet” in bounds for possession. That is a requirement for a catch. A catch requires two feet in bounds AND possession of the ball.

Should be “If you’re going to criticize others for supposedly NOT knowing the rules.”

stellarperformance says:Jul 9, 2013 10:29 AM

Way too much is being made about this. The defender should have batted the ball down instead of being a stat hero. End of game.

I can only hope his coaches are yelling that fact in his face throughout training camp this year…over and over and over. NFL DB 101.

muskyhunter2542 says:Jul 9, 2013 10:41 AM

It was not a catch!!! It was an interception.
However not worth bitching about it now. Its long done and over with.
In the future you bet your a$$ that packer defensive backs will be knocking balls down instead of trying to catch it.
If he would have done that in the first place we would have never had to hear about this B.S.

uwsptke says:Jul 9, 2013 11:05 AM

“It probably will never happen again, just like the Immaculate Reception.”

Hence the more apt name for this debacle is the “Inaccurate Reception.”

Jennings had not made contact with ground before Tate was able to get his hands around ball as well. Thus giving simultaneous possession of the ball going to the ground and thus the tie goes to the offense.

it was just very unlucky and Jennings needs to learn to swat the ball in the endzone. A win in that game would have put us ahead of the 9ers in the playoffs and who knows from there.

He made the correct call, period. The replay booth and the NFL both confirmed it. Get over it.
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No one confirmed he made the correct call. The rule states that the play was not reviewable. Regardless of whether the call was correct, or incorrect, there was no way to review the call because the rule states that the call is a judgement call on the refs part. Easely made the wrong call on the field, but the rule was interpreted correctly by the booth (who did not review if it was intercepted, only if it was incomplete).

I have heard about 99.99% of professional writers and players say that the call was wrong and the the correct call was interception and touchback. Even Pete Carroll said the call was wrong, but he was happy he got it to go his way. Golden Tate said the call was wrong even. But, hey, we’ll go with your opinion. lol

orcahawk says:Jul 9, 2013 3:03 PM

* The TD call was confirmed by the NFL replay refs, who were NOT replacements.

* The pushoff was blatant and should have been called

* The ball was in simultaneous possesion. This is even more apparent when looking at the sideline pictures. That part of the call was made correctly. See my first point.

For those of you who say Jennings should have just batted the ball away there was a similar situation the day before in a game between the Lions and Titans. The Lions threw a Hail Mary at the end of the game and it was batted down, right into the arms of a Titan’s player who fell over the goal line and scored.

Based on the comments Mr. Easley has been making regarding decision making in his new book, makes me glad I don’t have money in Bank of America where he is an officer. I’d hate to see some of his “banking” decisions.

Jennings had not made contact with ground before Tate was able to get his hands around ball as well. Thus giving simultaneous possession of the ball going to the ground and thus the tie goes to the offense.
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Tie goes to the offense? There is no such rule in the NFL.

Two refs stood over the play and made two differing calls. One was right and one wasn’t.

What no one has tried to address is why did Easley’s call of TD take precedent over the INT call?

Unbelievable suckup act Easley…Those Seahawks are sure going to wish they had you officiating when the Packers get there reckoning this season.

contra74 says:Jul 9, 2013 4:51 PM

lbpackfan says:
Jul 9, 2013 10:03 AM
Wow…funny all the Vikes fans and Hawks fans making comments about Packer fans “crying” and still butthurt over this when we’re just sharing opinions on the blown call.

Lets talk about officiating in Saints-Vikings NFCCG or Seattle-Pittsburgh Super Bowl, shall we?
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Yes lets talk about it. Lets talk about how Vikings fans are over it and how Packer fans still cry about the “Fail Mary” to this day. Lets also talk about how Packers fans had “Worst Call Ever” T-shirts made the next day and shown on national TV while Vikings fans shrugged their shoulders at the NFCCG and said “that sucks” and moved on. Lets talk…

lbpackfan says:Jul 9, 2013 6:35 PM

contra74 says: Jul 9, 2013 4:51 PM

lbpackfan says:
Jul 9, 2013 10:03 AM
Wow…funny all the Vikes fans and Hawks fans making comments about Packer fans “crying” and still butthurt over this when we’re just sharing opinions on the blown call.

Lets talk about officiating in Saints-Vikings NFCCG or Seattle-Pittsburgh Super Bowl, shall we?
———–
Yes lets talk about it. Lets talk about how Vikings fans are over it and how Packer fans still cry about the “Fail Mary” to this day. Lets also talk about how Packers fans had “Worst Call Ever” T-shirts made the next day and shown on national TV while Vikings fans shrugged their shoulders at the NFCCG and said “that sucks” and moved on. Lets talk…
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LOL! What is wrong with simply posting a message about it being a bad call…it was…plain and simple. Some think it was a good call…whatever. Nothing will change the call now.

As far as your little obsession with some t-shirts…who cares? Someone probably made a lot of money on that…sorta like the idiot who made the “Favre Swallows” T-shirts and sold those outside the inflatable toilet for years when Packers played @ MN … or how about (cutest t-shirts EVER…and had a song to go along with it) the “We’re going to Miami” shirts? Hahahaha!!!

Everyone refers to it as the Fail Mary, everyone outside of Seattle knows the call was blown. Even the ref knows he blew it, but can’t admit his mistake. How could he think the other guy saw the same thing when the other guy gave the touchback signal? This was not a simultaneous catch, this was one guy catching the ball and the other guy grabbing at the ball after the catch. It happens every week in the NFL. You blew it, everyone knows you blew it, and that is why the temporary refs were back bagging groceries a week later. Now back under your rock!

It seems about every other day there’s still a story relating to this, and the argument ensues. Yet even those who correctly argue that it was the wrong call rarely seem to understand WHY it was the wrong call. All this constant talk about “going all the way to the ground” and simultaneous possession is nonsensical because it simply doesn’t apply in this situation. By rule there is no simultaneous possession when the defensive player clearly possesses the ball first, as Jennings CLEARLY did. That is why everyone outside of Seattle knows it was the wrong call and why the regular refs were back to work the following week. The fact that this guy still doesn’t get it with a year of retrospect proves only that he’s delusional and never should have been anywhere near an NFL field in a professional capacity. That or he knows the truth but is simply trying to remain a folk hero in Seattle so he can cash in and get sweet gigs like reffing celebrity softball games. The later is more likely.

All the whining aside, it seems like the NFL should probably clarify this rule a bit.

I think the problem is that there is no concept of “more possession”. Example Defensive Player A jumps and has the ball against his body, secured with two hands. Offensive Player B is completely behind player A, he does not have the ball against his body, but he has the palm of his hand on one tip of the ball, and his thumb and index finger on the other tip. They both land on top of each other holding the ball in said manner. Anyone looking at the play would say Defensive player has the ball. However, if you go by the letter of the law, it would illogically be simultaneous possession.

There’s no way that the offensive player could have caught the ball on his own in this manner, he needed to have the defender secure the ball for him so he could jointly possess it.

Usually when it is joint possession, both players are facing each other fighting for the ball face to face. The NFL should probably come up with some concept of giving preference to a player having the ball controlled against his body.

scakfan says:Jul 10, 2013 5:12 PM

Only problem is Tate’s left hand was securely wrapped on the ball so joint possession is the only call that would be correct. Having spent years going to Packer games in Milwaukee I used to be a Packer backer but that incessant whining by Rogers for weeks on end was a total turnoff. What a big cry baby he is! Nothing worse than a sore loser. Sheeez.

stellarperformance says:Jul 10, 2013 9:54 PM

scakfan says:
Jul 10, 2013 5:12 PM
Only problem is Tate’s left hand was securely wrapped on the ball so joint possession is the only call that would be correct. Having spent years going to Packer games in Milwaukee I used to be a Packer backer but that incessant whining by Rogers for weeks on end was a total turnoff. What a big cry baby he is! Nothing worse than a sore loser. Sheeez.
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Hey scakfan – getting a hand on the ball does not constitute possession. One guy had the ball wrapped in both arms and pressed against his chest, the other guy had one hand on the ball. Simple, that’s it. Show me a quote or a clip of Rodgers “whining” about this horrible call. Even in the press conference after the game he didn’t whine, he simply said to watch the tape. Any FOOTBALL fan knows the ref blew it and it was completely obvious. And now we have a pathetic ref who didn’t have the brains to consult with the other refs before he blew the call, still trying to cash in on the fame of a blown call. If you think Rodgers is a sore loser, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

Only Packers fans call it the Fail Mary? Try the rest of the NFL calls it the Fail Mary. Cheathawk fans are so oblivious to what real football rules are. The only human being in that organization that is worthy of redemption at all it Marshawn Lynch because he openly admitted it was the right call. I hope you fall off into the sea and are dragged to the deepest levels of Hell. Worst call in NFL history says any person with a brain.

Wow, it’s good to be on top! All you Packer haters will find any excuse to say that was a good call! A REAL football fan can look at it objectively and come to the conclusion that this rookie made the wrong call.